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Application No.: 15/01017/B Applicant: Mr & Mrs Kevin Millward Proposal: Erection of a stable block Site Address: Part Field 531216 Woodland Heights Ashley Road Onchan Isle of Man Case Officer : Mr Edmond Riley Site Visit: 27.08.2015 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation
1.0 THE APPLICATION SITE - 1.1 The application site is a dog-leg-shaped parcel of land within Field 531216, which is itself situated south of the area known as Woodland Towers and east of the built up area of Onchan. The site forms part of a much larger area of landholding in control of the applicant, who also owns the dwelling known as 'Woodland Heights' to the north. The site is accessed immediately east of an unadopted access that runs straight in a broadly north-south direction from its junction with Ashley Road to the south. - 1.2 Field 531216 lies immediately south of Woodland Heights, but the application site is to the southern field boundary with Field 531293. This boundary is heavily treed, as are the boundaries to the west and east. The boundary to the north, where two residential properties sit (one being Woodland Heights itself), is more open. The southwestern corner is lower than the surroundings, offering something of a 'basin', meaning that this area is not actually visible from the Ashley Road access. - 1.3 Although there are other residential properties in the area, these are between 70m and 95m distant.
2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 Full planning approval is sought for the erection of a stable block in the southwestern corner of the application site. This would also be dog-legged in shape and provide stabling for four horses along with a hay barn / tack room. The stable would be of Redwood timber construction throughout its elevations, with a black Onduline roofing sheet for the roof. - 2.2 A new access track would be created from the existing field access and would be laid with hardcore, and would become larger as it reaches the stable to provide a turning area. To the north of this track is proposed a 1.5m wide, 1.0m high landscaped bank, planted with holly, honeysuckle, blackthorn and field maple. - 2.3 The siting for the stable is, as noted, lower than the surrounding area and some additional digging down is also proposed, although from the site levels of the submitted proposed plan this
3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 Neither the site nor the surrounding area has been the subject of any applications considered of material relevance to the assessment of the current application.
4.0 THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN - 4.1 The site lies within a wider area of open space as designated on the Onchan Local Plan, which contains no policies of material relevance to the assessment of the application. Further to the west and east is existing residential and woodland zonings respectively. On this basis, the most relevant policies are found within the Strategic Plan. - 4.2 Environment Policy 1 reads as follows: "The countryside and its ecology will be protected for its own sake. For the purposes of this policy, the countryside comprises all land which is outside the settlements defined in Appendix 3 at A.3.6 or which is not designated for future development on an Area Plan. Development which would adversely affect the countryside will not be permitted unless there is an over-riding national need in land use planning terms which outweighs the requirement to protect these areas and for which there is no reasonable and acceptable alternative." - 4.3 Environment Policy 19 reads: "Development of equestrian activities and buildings will only be accepted in the countryside where there will be as a result of such development no loss in local amenity, no loss of high quality agricultural land (Classes 1 and 2) and where the local highway network can satisfactorily accommodate any increase in traffic (see Environment Policy 14 for interpretation of Class 1 and 2). - 4.4 Environment Policy 20 continues: "There will be a presumption against large scale equestrian developments, which includes new buildings and external arenas, in areas with High Landscape or Coastal Value and Scenic Significance unless there are exceptional circumstances to override such a policy." - 4.5 Environment Policy 21 is the last of the three policies focussing on equestrian-related pursuits: "Buildings for the stabling, shelter or care of horses or other animals will not be permitted in the countryside if they would be detrimental to the character and appearance of the countryside in terms of siting, design, size or finish. Any new buildings must be designed in form and materials to reflect their specific purpose; in particular, cavity-wall construction should not be used."
4.6 Finally, the site is within a much larger area of land that has been classified as being of Class 3 agricultural land quality.
5.0 REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 Highway Services of the Department of Infrastructure offered no objection to the proposal on 24.09.2015, while Onchan Commissioners recommended that application be approved on 23.09.2015.
6.0 ASSESSMENT - 6.1 Although most forms of development in the countryside are very strictly controlled, Environment Policies 19 and 21 in particular offer a general support for equestrian-related buildings where these can be shown to have no unduly harmful impact on amenity or the character or appearance of the countryside. The tests of Environment Policy 1, requiring that the countryside be protected for its own sake and also that approval will only be granted where there is no reasonable or acceptable alternative, also apply in this case. - 6.2 In the first place, the site is not of an agricultural land quality that is considered worthy of protection and so no objection on this point is raised. - 6.3 Regarding the proposed building's impact on local living conditions, it is clearly some distance from the nearest dwellings, which are sporadic in any case, and so there is unlikely to be a significant change on this point. It is noted that no objections have been received. - 6.4 Highway Services are content with the impact of the proposal on the local highway network, although this would probably be subject to change were the building / associated land to be used for commercial purposes. The stable proposed is of a modest size and scale and a condition could be attached requiring it only be used non-commercially to clarify this point. In view of the above, it is considered that the application is acceptable in the context of Environment Policies 19 and 20. - 6.5 Turning to Environment Policies 1 and 21, discussions took place between the applicant, agent and case officer at the pre-application stage as to the most appropriate position for the stable, with reference to the policy expectation that new equestrian buildings should be located near to existing buildings. In the Planning Statement submitted with the application, the agent indicates that access to the stable via Woodland Heights was not feasible for two reasons. Firstly, there are access lanes outside the ownership or control of the applicant in the area. Secondly, that land has a steep slope, an uneven surface and sharp bends presenting difficulties for access with a horsebox. The now-proposed location was submitted as these access constraints do not apply. While locating the stable nearer Woodland Heights than proposed might have been a feasible option, this would have potentially required a much larger access lane through Field 531216, which clearly would have resulted in a more harmful visual impact on that field and countryside within which it sits. - 6.6 Moreover, a stable in that position would not be clearly 'read' against the existing buildings of Woodland Heights and the adjacent The Cottage, since views of that location achievable from the single access lane would still have placed the stable alongside, rather than in front of, these. As such, wherever the stable is located in this Field, it will have something of a standalone impact. The remaining land within the ownership of the applicant is either nearer to existing residential properties (to the south) or is much more open and prominent from both nearby and further afield (to the east). Field 531216 is also near the applicants' dwelling and it is understandable that they should wish to have sight of the stable where their horses would be kept. It is therefore concluded that the field offers the most appropriate siting for a stable on land within the ownership of the applicant, although this in itself does not make the proposed siting acceptable from a visual impact point of view.
6.7 Turning to this, it is noted that the stable has designed to be of appropriate materials, is appropriate modest in scale, and would be well-screened by a feature traditional to the Manx countryside (a bank) lined with native tree species. Although no visualisations have been provided to demonstrate this, it is considered quite possible that a majority of the building's height / mass would be hidden by its position within the lower part of the field, and in any case would be very well-screened by the existing trees and hedging to the south. The proposal to further screen and landscape the track in the manner discussed would help to further integrate the scheme within this countryside location. - 6.8 It is therefore considered that the proposal also complies with Environment Policies 1 and 21.
7.0 RECOMMENDATION - 7.1 In view of all the above, it is considered that the proposal might represent something of a departure from the Strategic Plan's equestrian-related policies - most specifically Environment Policy 21 - but for the reasons discussed represents an appropriate such departure. The application is therefore recommended for approval. - 7.2 Conditions requiring the building be used on a non-commercial basis and that any trees planted that need removing within five years be replaced are recommended for attaching to any issued approval notice.
8.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS - 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013, the following persons are automatically interested persons:
Recommendation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 05.10.2015 Conditions and Notes for Approval: C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions
Reason: To comply with article 14 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No2) Order 2013 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.
The stables shall be for private use only and not for any commercial or private livery use.
Reason: In view of the location of the site in the open countryside and given the nature of the access to the site, the Department does not consider the site suitable for anything other than private use.
The development hereby approved relates to the following plans, date-stamped as having been received 8th September 2015: 01, 02 Rev A and 03 Rev A.
I can confirm that this decision has been made by a Senior Planning Officer in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation.
Decision Made : Permitted Date: 09.10.2015 Determining officer
Signed : S CORLETT Sarah Corlett Senior Planning Officer
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